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Chavez holiday faces another hurdle

Although a bill championed by State Rep. Pedro Colón (D-Milwaukee) to create an optional state holiday in honor of farmworker and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez passed the Assembly, it now needs to be approved by the state Senate.

"It faces a more difficult hurdle in the Senate," said Colón Thursday. And since today is the last day of the legislative session, if it doesn't clear the Senate today, it's dead.

"For the past 10 years I have authored this legislation and it was not until the Democrats took control of the Assembly that we were able to vote on the measure," said Colón.

Assembly Bill 467 would create an optional state holiday in honor of Chavez on his birthday, March 31. It would allow state employees to take off March 31 in lieu of another state holiday.

About Georgia Pabst

Georgia Pabst is a general assignment reporter whose areas of coverage include Milwaukee County government, the Latino community, non-profits and neighborhoods.